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After an extensive national search, ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ has announced Lauren Leach as its chief of staff to the president and vice president for strategy. Leach is currently the associate vice president for strategic planning with the UAB Health System. She will begin her position at ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ effective Nov. 1.

“Lauren Leach is a superb addition to ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ’s executive leadership at a time when the university’s strategic plan is yielding exciting results,” says ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ President Beck A. Taylor. “Her extensive experience in leading strategic planning and her keen understanding of complex organizations will enable her to serve ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ and its constituents well.”

Leech says she is both enthusiastic and honored to be joining ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ. “This is such an exciting time for the university and to join such an impressive executive leadership team is inspiring. The university’s strategy has flourished under Dr. Colin Coyne, and I am ready to take the baton and continue onward.”  Along with strategy, Leach is eager to support the Office of the President as Taylor continues to lead ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ forward. “The university’s Christian mission, students, faculty, staff, and alumni all make ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ an amazing place, and I am excited to contribute to the continued success I know we will have.”

For the past 18 years, Leach held increasingly responsible roles in the strategy division of UAB Health System. Since 2017, she has served in the department of strategic planning and business development as a senior strategic advisor to executive leadership. Her work aligned organizational vision with operational execution across academic, clinical and administrative units.

Leach earned her bachelor’s and MBA, with a concentration in strategy, from the University of Alabama. Before her promotion to associate vice president at the UAB Health System, she was director of strategy and business development. In this role, Leach implemented and managed key initiatives, resource data analysis and forecasting, competitive analysis and financial projections for the UAB Health System. She also served as Women and Infants Service Line Director to develop and implement business plans for the continued success of women and infant clinical services at UAB Hospital.

As ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ’s chief of staff to the president, Leach will manage the daily operations of the Office of the President and provide advanced executive support and counsel to the president, overseeing institutional policy and important strategic initiatives. Leach will serve as the chief liaison between the president and ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ’s Board of Trustees and will serve alongside other leaders on the Executive Leadership Team and President’s Cabinet. As vice president for strategy, Leach will chair ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ’s University Council, manage all aspects of strategic planning, collaborate closely with the Office for Institutional Research and Analytics, and ensure all areas of ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ are strategically aligned to achieve ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ’s faith-based mission and bold vision.